Denver Nuggets: Jusuf Nurkic Remains As Only Positive

The losing just won’t stop, and the All-Star break can’t come soon enough for the Denver Nuggets.

Hey, at least we’ll be able to watch Jusuf Nurkic in the Rising Stars game this weekend. It will probably be a lot more entertaining than the product the Nuggets have put on the court in the last two months.

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With the 10-point loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Denver on Monday, the Nuggets have lost six straight games. They’ve lost 13 (yes, thirteen) of their last 14 games. The Pepsi Center is as empty as ever, and honestly the future seems bleaker by the minute.

Hey, at least Jusuf Nurkic is still showing that the Nuggets drafted f0r the future well. The rookie center had one of his best (if not his best) game of the season against the Thunder — 16 points and 14 rebounds. He fouled out of the game, which is something he’s struggled with, but he remains the ONLY reason to watch the Denver Nuggets right now.

Watching the trade rumors has turned more entertaining than what the Nuggets are doing on the court right now. I admit, they had a chance against Oklahoma City but that was quashed by a 40-point night from Kevin Durant. Either way, it’s sad that a 10-point loss was the best thing we’ve seen out of the team for two months.

Hey, at least Nurkic’s 16.43 player efficiency rating is still the best among NBA rookies.

The team’s numbers with Nurkic on the floor back up that ranking. Overall, the Nuggets defensive rating (average points allowed over 100 defensive possessions) is eighth worst in the NBA at 105.2. However, with the “Bosnian Bear” on the floor that number drops to 99.6 – a number which would be third best in the league if Nurkic could play entire games and maintain that rating.

Which begs the question – WHY IS NURKIC ONLY AVERAGING 17.2 MINUTES A GAME? SHOULDN’T THAT ALONE BE ENOUGH TO FIRE HEAD COACH BRIAN SHAW?

Well, not quite. Nurkic’s minute’s average is quite tricky. First, he’s averaging 3.1 fouls a game in those 20-plus minutes, which is tied with Wilson Chandler for the highest average on the team. Therefore, Shaw is somewhat forced to keep him on the bench when he gets into trouble. Luckily, his foul average should reduce as he gains NBA experience.

Feb 4, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics shooting guard Marcus Thornton (4) recovers a loose ball in front of Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic (23) during the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Also, since the Nuggets traded Timofey Mozgov on Jan. 7, Nurkic’s average is actually 22.2 minutes a game, which is fifth highest on the team over that stretch. This is encouraging, but it’s clear Shaw still needs to get him on the floor for 30-plus minutes a game at this point. Frankly, Shaw should be let go if he can’t accomplish this with the remainder of this season.

Nurkic is intimidating, and since the season is already a lost cause, the more minutes the better.

In fact, the guy is already so intimidating as a rookie — he’s avoided all the rookie hazing a typical NBA rookie has to go through.

“There are things the guys want to do to him because he’s a rookie,” Shaw told reporters before the Oklahoma City game, “but in my estimation, they’re afraid to do it because he’s a big guy and they don’t want to challenge him. The way it used to be handled in the old days? All the vets would get together and they’d physically make you do it. And I don’t think anyone wants to wrestle that bear.”

It’s a good sign for the rookie, but a true sign of the Nuggets’ problems as well. It’s encouraging the Bear is such a monster the Nuggets team is afraid to haze their new star, but it’s unfortunate that same team is afraid to wrestle with Nurkic against the rest of the NBA as well.

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